Prerequisites
- You need the confirmation of authenticity for copies of documents from the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg (FHH), for example the registry office, Hamburg Service on site (formerly the customer center), the tax office or a state-recognized school in Hamburg or for translations by sworn interpreters in Hamburg.
- Your document was not issued for a specific purpose, such as a birth certificate for applying for parental allowance (printed on the certificate).
- Your document has been signed by an authorized person of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg.
- The signatory is known to the competent authority.
- You have clarified your issue in advance with the responsible department, for example by email.
- - If you need confirmation of authenticity for a translation: The translation was made by a sworn interpreter in Hamburg.
Documents required
In the appointment procedure
Preliminary check absolutely necessary!
For preliminary review, please send an email with the document(s) attached as a scan or photo immediately after booking your appointment. Please also include your name, phone number, the date and time of your appointment, and the destination country of the documents (e.g., Spain). m2511@amtfuermigration.hamburg.de
If it was not possible to review the documents by the deadline, we can only accept them. A collection date will be arranged by the case worker after the documents have been processed.
For certified copies!
The original document along with the certified copy must be presented at the appointment.
For translations!
The interpreter/translator must have been sworn in in Hamburg.
Please use the website to find a suitable translator for Hamburg: www.justiz-dolmetscher.de(Specify the language and federal state here)
Please bring the following documents with you to the appointment:
- - Your original document without any specific purpose, which you sent to us by email for preliminary review.
- - Appointment booking confirmation
- - Identification document
- - An apostille/pre-authentication is issued on a document-specific and not a personal basis, which is why even someone not directly affected can apply for it at the migration office without a power of attorney.
- - Debit card or credit card (cash payment only possible in exceptional cases)
If your booking involves a process via post, please cancel the booked appointment or send us an email.
In the mail procedure
Address to:
Department of the Interior and Sport
Office for Migration
M251
Hammer Street 30-34
22041 Hamburg
Required information in the cover letter for postal proceedings:
- - Country of destination of the document (e.g. Russia)
- - Your address
- - Email address and phone number
- - In addition, we require the original documents to be certified.
- To expedite processing, please send an email with a scan or photo of your document(s) attached to this office for preliminary review. Please indicate in your email that you do not require an appointment and that your document is currently in transit.
Further information:
- - The fee is collected by means of a fee notice for residents of Germany.
- For fees exceeding €100 or for clients residing abroad, advance payment is required upon completion. You will receive a fee notice. Your documents will be returned to you after payment has been processed.
Fees until 31.12.2025
When making an appointment:
- €14.50 per apostille
- €9.50 per pre-authentication
- 5 € translator's stamp
- €6 for certified copy/official certification - per 1st page of the document
- €1 for certified copy/official certification - from the 2nd page of each document
- €0.60 for copies - from page 1 to page 10
- €0.30 for copies - from page 11 onwards.
Different fees apply to postal services
- €35.50 per apostille
- €30.50 per pre-authentication
Fees from 01.01.2026
When making an appointment:
- €16.00 per apostille
- €11.00 per pre-authentication
- 5 € translator's stamp
- €6 for certified copy/official certification - per 1st page of the document
- €1 for certified copy/official certification - from the 2nd page of each document
- €0.70 for copies - from page 1 to page 10
- €0.40 for copies - from page 11 onwards.
Different fees apply to postal services
- €39.00 per apostille
- €34.00 per pre-authentication
Payment by invoice/fee notice is only possible if the application is submitted by mail.
Please note
The subsequent legalization is carried out by a consular officer at the foreign representation of the state in which the document or certificate is required.
The pre-certification or apostille is done for the document and is not personal. A non-affected person can also apply for the pre-certification or apostille without a power of attorney.
For confirmation of authenticity of federal certificates (such as certificates of good conduct) or federal documents, please contact the Federal Office for Foreign Affairs.
Final certifications of pre-certified documents from the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg can be obtained from the Federal Office for Foreign Affairs.
Final certifications by the Federal Office for Foreign Affairs are only carried out for pre-certified copies/duplicates from the issuing authority. For example, for documents from the University of Hamburg, only copies/duplicates from the University of Hamburg are accepted.
The federal state in which the swearing-in took place is responsible for confirming the authenticity of translations by interpreters who have not been sworn in Hamburg.
For confirmation of authenticity of certificates or documents issued in other federal states or nations, please contact the issuing country or federal state.
Deadlines
Apply for the certificate of authenticity early.
To ensure the validity of the confirmation of authenticity (apostille/legalization), find out from the submitting authority abroad (embassy, authority abroad) how old it may be.
The competent authority is not aware of the sovereign provisions of the respective country in this regard.
